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Stephanie Rische

Blogger and Writer: Capturing Stories of God's Grace

August 28, 2015

Friday Favorites for August

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For anyone who read the fabled Aesop as a kid . . .

Who knew we had Aesop to thank for expressions like “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched” and “Necessity is the mother of invention”? 19 Everyday Expressions That Came from Aesop

For anyone who loves to drink in a good book . . .

They’ve created a “drinkable book” for people in countries where it’s difficult to find uncontaminated water! Bug-Killing Book Pages Clean Murky Drinking Water

For anyone who loves a good “happy cry” . . .

My husband, Daniel, works with individuals with disabilities, and he recently shared this video with me. It captures people hearing their loved ones’ voices for the first time, and I promise you’ll need tissues. Deaf People Hear Sounds for the First Time

For anyone who appreciates the power of proper punctuation . . .

Good grammar may not save your life, but it just might save you a parking ticket: Missing Comma Gets Grammar Nerd out of Parking Ticket

For anyone who has wished for a do-over in a conversation . . .

This mom of a child with a disability has something to teach us all about how to handle insensitive questions. Instead of becoming defensive, what if we invited people in instead? What I Wish I’d Asked the Woman Who Questioned Our Use of a Handicapped Parking Spot

2 Comments Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: Aesop, books, disabilities, grammar, Literature
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July 2, 2015

10 Quotes for Editors

booksThis month I’m celebrating a dozen years as an editor at Tyndale House. In honor of my work anniversary, I’ve been reflecting on privilege it is to wake up each morning and do what I do. Every day people entrust to me one of their most precious possessions: their stories.

As an editor, I am invited into that rare sacred space between the writer and the reader, between the idea and the written word, between private musings and public declarations.

When people think of editor types, they often conjure up images of dour-faced schoolmarms with red pens poised. And while I admit that I delight in a well-placed semicolon or a properly punctuated possessive, there’s more to editing than the rules of grammar.

Sometimes an editor’s job is to find the pulse of a manuscript and resuscitate it. Sometimes an editor’s job is to hold the author’s hand and coax her through the final chapter. Sometimes the editor’s job is to recognize a thing of beauty and then get out of the way.

Whether you’re an editor or a comma queen or just someone who appreciates the process of words coming to life, I thought you might enjoy these quotes about editing I’ve been collecting over the years.

***

I have rewritten—often several times—every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.
—Vladimir Nabokov

So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.
—Dr. Seuss

“The editor is always right.” The corollary is that no writer will take all of his or her editor’s advice; for all have sinned and fallen short of editorial perfection. Put another way, to write is human, to edit is divine.
—Stephen King

I really think that the great difficulty in bringing [a manuscript] into final shape is the old one of not being able to see the forest for the trees. There are such a great number of trees. We must somehow bring the underlying scheme or pattern of the book into emphasis, so that the reader will be able to see the forest in spite of the many trees.
—Maxwell Perkins

Every editor becomes a de facto therapist, whether or not he engages in the therapeutic as well as the editorial process. His author presents a set of symptoms as clearly as a patient visiting a doctor.
—Betsy Lerner

But the work had told upon the Editor. Work of that sort carries its penalties with it. Success means absorption, and absorption spells softening of the brain.
—P. G. Wodehouse

I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
—Douglas Adams

Half my life is an act of revision.
—John Irving

I can’t write five words but that I change seven.
—Dorothy Parker

An editor’s job is to heal the sick, not to raise the dead.
—Virginia Muir (the first editor at Tyndale House Publishers)

***

In honor of this occasion, I’m giving away one free book published by Tyndale House Publishers. To be eligible to win, write a comment with one of your favorite quotes (editing related or not). I’ll be selecting the winner on Monday!

7 Comments Filed Under: Literature Tagged With: books, Dorothy Parker, Dr. Seuss, editing, editor, John Irving, Literature, reading, Stephen King, Tyndale House Publishers
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June 5, 2015

Friday Favorites for June

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Happy Friday! Here are a few of my favorite things recently. Hope you enjoy!

For personality-type fans . . .

I admit it: I’m a personality-type junkie, so I found this description of the worst-case scenarios for various personality types fascinating. I’m an INFJ (but the description of ISFJ is pretty spot on for me too). The Definition of Hell for Each Myers-Briggs Personality Type

For anyone who wants the inside scoop on authors’ snacking habits . . .

Did you know that Agatha Christie drank heavy cream—without coffee!—while she wrote? Or that Emily Dickinson made homemade bread each morning? 9 Famous Authors’ Favorite Workday Snacks

For anyone who wonders what it’s like to get old alongside someone else . . .

What if you could fast-forward in time and see what it would be like to get old together with another person? This video simulates the experience: Young Couple Gets Increasingly Aged with Make-up and Revealed to Each Other

For Scribble aficionados . . .

In case you’re wondering, onesie, shizzle, hashtag, and cakehole are now legitimate on the Scrabble board: Go Forth and Pwn for Shizzle Say Scrabble Word List Guardians

For anyone making a big decision . . .

Summer seems to be a time of big decisions: graduations, weddings, moves, and the like. This article offers a practical checklist for when you’re facing a tough choice: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/4-questions-ask-when-making-big-decision

 

3 Comments Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: aging, authors, decisions, Literature, marriage, Myers-Briggs, personality types, Scrabble
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May 15, 2015

Book Club Discussion: All the Light We Cannot See

All the LightWelcome to our virtual book club for May! Our book for this month is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It’s easy to participate: just write a comment in the comment section in response to one of these questions or about anything else you’d like to discuss.

***

Truth be told, I wasn’t sure I was in the mood to read a war book this month. And truth #2 be told, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read a World War II book. I just may have binged on them as a teenager, and I thought I’d exceeded my quota. But enough people recommended the book to me that I finally caved. And I’m glad I did—this is unlike any other war book you’ve ever read.

All the Light We Cannot See is about a French girl named Marie Laure, who is blind, and a German soldier, Werner, both of whom are caught in the crossfires of World War II. The chapters alternately tell their stories as their paths come closer together and eventually collide.

I heard it took Anthony Doerr ten years to write this book, and I’m not surprised. His details are luscious—I felt like I was able to see, smell, hear, and feel every scene.

Discussion #1: Can you remain human in war?

One of the things I appreciated most about this book was the way it put a human face on both sides of the war. I’d never given in-depth thought to what might lead a person to become a Nazi, and seeing Werner’s story gave me more sympathy for him while still feeling the pain Marie Laure and her family went through. I also appreciated the reminder that in the darkest times, against all odds, there were people who showed courage and generosity and kindness to one another—even their enemies.

Do you tend to like books about war? Why or why not? Which character(s) do you think showed great courage?

Discussion #2: What would it be like to be blind?

Marie-Laure says, “To shut your eyes is to guess nothing of blindness.” I was taken by the author’s ability to describe sensory details so vividly. As my aunt told me after she read the book, Doerr “painted sound.” This palpability made the lovely scenes even more beautiful and the terrifying scenes even more tense (like when Marie-Laure was opening the can when a soldier lurked downstairs!). And while this book gives only a window into what it might be like to be blind, it was fascinating to read how sharp the other senses become when one of them is missing.

What do you think would be the most challenging part of not having sight? What did you think of Marie-Laure’s father’s patience as he taught her to memorize her city?

Discussion #3: What do you think the title means?

The title has so many layers—more with each chapter I read. When Werner and his sister, Jutta, hear the French broadcast on the radio, it concludes with these words: “Open your eyes and see what you can with them before they close forever.” Beyond the obvious connection to Marie-Laure’s blindness, this title seems to hint that there’s goodness in people you wouldn’t expect (case in point: Werner). There are some people who are physically blind but can see truth, and there are people with vision who miss the goodness and beauty around them.

Did you like the title? What prompted you to pick up the book?

Discussion #4: What did you think of the book’s structure?

The chapters are very short, and told from shifting perspectives. On top of that, the story jumps in time, unfolding outside of chronological order. The alternating points of view work well to give us empathy for both stories, but the rapid switching felt jarring to me at first. And I often found myself disoriented about the timing and flipping back through pages to check the date. I give credit to the author for his creative approach, and while this definitely serves to build the suspense, it took me out of the story at times.

What did you think of the way the author told the story?

Rating

How many stars would you give this book?

I liked that this book was a fresh take on World War II, and I appreciated the sensory details and nuanced characters. I also appreciated the underlying theme of thriving in adversity, as captured by Madame Manec’s question: “Don’t you want to be alive before you die?”

I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

{Remember: I’ll give away a free book to one lucky commenter!}

19 Comments Filed Under: Book Club, book review Tagged With: All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr, Book Club, book discussion, free book, giveaway, Literature
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March 27, 2015

Friday Favorites for March

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Happy Friday! Here are a few of my favorites things lately. Hope you enjoy!

For anyone who celebrated National Grammar Day . . .

It was National Grammar Day earlier this month, and I found these grammar-themed haiku hilarious: 24 Haiku in Honor of National Grammar Day

For anyone who loves a theme party . . .

These literary-themed parties will hold you over amid the doldrums of March: 8 Literary Party Themes 

For anyone who needs to be reminded of the power of what we say (and don’t say) . . .

When’s the last time you told someone you were proud of them? Good words about encouragement from Shauna Niequist: Use Your Words

For anyone who needs a laugh today . . .  

In general, I’m not pro-vandalism. But these vandalized signs make wonder if I should reconsider: 33 Vandalized Signs

For anyone who is waiting for something . . .

Some wise words on waiting well from Nicole Eunice: “Is the difference between good and best usually only found in waiting?” Waiting Doesn’t Care How You Treat It

1 Comment Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: Encouragement, grammar, Literature, Nicole Eunice, Shauna Niequist, theme parties, waiting, word lovers
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March 6, 2015

Virtual Book Club: Wild

WildWelcome to our virtual book club! This month we’re talking about Wild by Cheryl Strayed, which I introduced here.

Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or anything else you’d like to say) in the comment section.

***

Wild is Cheryl Strayed’s true story of her one-thousand-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail from California to Washington State. On the heels of her mother’s death, her own divorce, and disintegrating relationships with the rest of her family, she threw herself into a quest that brought her to the limits of her body, her resolve, and her will to live. Her journey also forced her to reflect on her grief and her identity, ultimately bringing a measure of healing.

Discussion #1: The Search for Adventure

Cheryl’s thirst for adventure seemed to have been unlocked by the loss and grief she was experiencing. But her adventure turned out to be much more difficult than she’d bargained for.

The Pacific Crest Trail wasn’t a world to me then. It was an idea, vague and outlandish, full of promise and mystery. Something bloomed inside me as I traced its jagged line with my finger on a map.

Do you have an inner drive for adventure? Have you ever jumped into something that turned out to be way bigger than you expected?

Discussion #2: Parallel Journeys

I really liked the author’s writing style and the way she wove together two parallel journeys: her physical trek on the trail and her emotional journey through the flashbacks. I didn’t always agree with her decisions, but I understood what was fueling her decisions, and I appreciated watching her process of self-discovery.

I considered my options. There were only two and they were essentially the same. I could go back in the direction I had come from, or I could go forward in the direction I intended to go.

Were there any parts of Cheryl’s journey (physical or emotional) that you could relate to?

Discussion #3: Extra Baggage

One of the most fascinating parts of the book for me was seeing what Cheryl decided to take on her journey and what she left behind. It made me think about my own priorities and what I would take if I had to carry all my earthly possessions on my back.

What would you have carried that she left behind? Was there anything she brought along that you would have ditched?

Discussion #4: Fear

Cheryl faced just about every fear known to humankind: loneliness, physical exhaustion, pain, scary strangers, severe weather, even bears! Yet she faced her fears with honesty and almost desperate courage.

I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told.

What part of Cheryl’s adventure would have been scariest for you?

Discussion #5: Identity

I enjoyed reading about Cheryl’s process for choosing a new last name—which was, in a sense, a way for her to redefine her identity.

Nothing fit until one day when the word strayed came into my mind. Immediately, I looked it up in the dictionary and knew it was mine . . . : “to wander from the proper path, to deviate from the direct course, to be lost, to become wild, to be without a mother or father, to be without a home, to move about aimlessly in search of something, to diverge or digress.”

Have you ever changed your name? If you were going to change your name, what would you choose?

Discussion #6: Rating

I would give this book 4 stars (out of 5) for the strong writing, the vulnerability, and the insights into human nature. It was a book that handled some tough topics but was still was fun to read, and that’s a feat to pull off.

What would you rate the book? And if you’ve seen the movie, what did you think of it? Should I watch it?

{Remember: I’ll give away a free book to one lucky commenter!}

 

11 Comments Filed Under: Book Club, book review Tagged With: Book Club, book discussion, book review, Cheryl Strayed, free book, Literature, Wild
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February 20, 2015

Friday Favorites

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For book lovers who love coffee and coffee lovers who love books . . .

These descriptions of what famous authors would do when ordering coffee is one of the funniest things I’ve read in a long time. They’re all great, but I especially liked this one: “Charlotte Brontë goes up to the counter for a cup of tea and Reader, she orders it!” If Authors Ordered at Starbucks

For anyone who’s still recovering from Valentine’s Day . . .

Great thoughts about love and marriage from Beth Moore. A Valentines Post: I Believe and I Don’t

For word geeks . . .

Although there are at least a million words in the English language, the 100 most common words account for over half of the words we use. This cool site lets you type in a word and find out its ranking. The Long Tail of the English Language

For anyone who is wondering if the little things they do matter . . .

This is a beautiful post by Christie Purifoy about the unexpected hospitality God gives to us. “I think that the very quietest hospitality might just be the hospitality God extends to each of us.” Love Prepared Table

For anyone who longs for real connection in their life . . .

I love it when worlds collide, and this is a beautiful collision: on this podcast my friend from college interviews an author I work with. How cool is that? Sophie Hudson talks about her new book, Home Is Where My People Are, and they discuss good stuff like female friendship, what makes a place home, and the journey of faith for the “good girl.” God Centered Mom

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: Beth Moore, books, Christie Purifoy, English language, God Centered Mom, language, Literature, Sophie Hudson, Valentine's Day, words
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January 23, 2015

Friday Favorites

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Here are a few of my recent favorite things. Enjoy, and happy Friday!

For anyone who loves a turn of phrase . . .

How can you narrow a list of beautiful literary sentences down to 51? Even so, here’s a start. One of my favorites: “In our village, folks say God crumbles up the old moon into stars.” 51 of the Most Beautiful Sentences in Literature

For anyone who needs another excuse to get swallowed up in a book . . .

The surprising lesson novels teach about empathy: Science Shows Something Surprising about People Who Love Reading Fiction

For anyone who was an English major . . .

These classic scenes from literature have been recreated with Legos. Hilarious! Favorite Scenes from Classic Literature, Lego Style

For anyone who’s trying to hold it all together . . .

Lisa-Jo Baker’s response to people who ask her how she does it all: “Here’s the obvious truth: I don’t. And what I do manage—I don’t always do very well.” How I Do It All

For anyone who’s experienced an awkward introduction at a party . . .

I really appreciated this simple yet profound insight about how we introduce our friends . . . and how we define ourselves. I want to start trying this right away. A Better Way to Introduce Your Friends

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: fiction, Friends, introductions, Legos, Lisa-Jo Baker, Literature, motherhood, novels, superwoman
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January 16, 2015

Announcing the Next Virtual Book Club: Wild

 

WildCongratulations to Dareta, who won a free book for commenting on our last discussion about What Alice Forgot. (Dareta, I’ll send you a private message about getting the book.)

And now, the next book is . . . Wild by Cheryl Strayed (now also a movie).

Here’s the description from the back of the book:

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone.

Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

We’ll be discussing this book in March—hope you’ll join us!

4 Comments Filed Under: Book Club Tagged With: Book Club, book discussion, Cheryl Strayed, Literature, Wild
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January 13, 2015

Book Club Discussion: What Alice Forgot

What Alice ForgotFor our virtual book club this month, we’re talking about What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, which I introduced here.

Here’s how it works: I’ll throw out a few topics for discussion, and you can write your responses about these topics (or anything else you’d like to say) in the comment section.

Discussion #1: Seriously Funny

When I read the premise for this novel, I assumed it would be a light read—and something that had been done before. (Really, publishing world? Another mom-lit book? And does the world really need another amnesia story?) But enough people recommended it to me that I finally succumbed.

My friends were right: this book has substance. Although it has light, funny moments, it also tackles some weighty themes (such as infertility, waning love, and complicated friendships). But perhaps the biggest takeaway for me was this haunting question: What would the younger me think of the person I’ve become?

What did you think of the tone of the book? Did it make you laugh? Did it make you think?

Discussion #2: A Form of Time Travel

Here’s what the author says about coming up with the premise for this novel:

I had always wanted to write a story about time travel but I found the logistics made my head explode. Then I read a story about a woman in the UK who lost her memory and behaved like a teenager—she didn’t recognize her husband or children. I realized that memory loss is a form of time travel. Alice loses 10 years of her memory. She thinks she is 29, pregnant with her first child and blissfully in love with her husband. She is horrified to discover she is 39, with 3 children and in the middle of a terrible divorce. It’s like the younger Alice has traveled forward in time.

What would the ten-years-ago you have been surprised to discover about the current you? What would your younger self think about the life you are leading now?

Discussion #3: The Role of Memory

The theme of memory is central to this book. Without a decade of memories, Alice is left to piece together what happened in her relationships. In some ways, this lack of memory leaves her at a distinct disadvantage. But in some ways, forgetting may have also saved her marriage.

Each memory, good and bad, was another invisible thread that bound them together.

How important do you think are memories to a relationship? Is it possible to keep a relationship strong without remembering the history you share with another person?

Discussion #4: A Second Chance

Although this story has the added drama of amnesia, it isn’t so different from what most marriages and other close relationships face. We change and we stagnate; we remember and we forget; we hurt and we forgive; we love until we can’t love anymore, and then we love some more.

Early love is exciting and exhilarating. It’s light and bubbly. Anyone can love like that. But after three children, after a separation and a near-divorce, after you’ve hurt each other and forgiven each other, bored each other and surprised each other, after you’ve seen the worst and the best—well, that sort of love is ineffable. It deserves its own word.

What do you think caused Alice’s relationship with her husband to fall apart? Do you think it’s possible to start over and get another chance when a relationship seems broken beyond repair?

I would give this book four stars (out of five). It was an entertaining read, but what I appreciated most was the way it stuck with me and prompted self-reflection about my own life.

How many stars would you give this book?

{Remember: I’ll give a free book to one lucky commenter!}

 

3 Comments Filed Under: Book Club, book review Tagged With: amnesia, Book Club, book discussion, free book, giveaway, Liane Moriarty, Literature, memory, What Alice Forgot
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